Way back when, advertising your auto repair shop was simple. Maybe you’d run an ad in the local newspaper (remember those?), leave a stack of flyers on the counter, or send mailers to nearby residents. But the balance of power has shifted. Today, when a driver hears a strange noise under the hood or sees a warning light pop on, odds are they’re reaching for their phone and searching for a repair shop online.

Consumers aren’t just throwing darts in the dark, though–they’re doing their homework, researching possible causes, reading customer reviews, and comparing options. If your shop isn’t showing up in these searches and offering helpful information, it could easily get lost in the crowd and miss out on potential business. 

So, how do you avoid becoming “just another repair shop”? By ramping up your content marketing strategy! Creating and sharing useful blog posts, videos, emails, and more can position your shop as a trusted, go-to resource that understands and cares about its customers. Let’s explore how content marketing can help set your shop apart and not only attract consumers that are actively searching for local auto repair services, but keep them coming back.

What To Talk About

Gaining trust and attracting customers is all about delivering the goods. Two key pillars of any content marketing strategy are educational content that helps customers better understand their cars, and insights into your shop’s operations that showcase your approach and expertise.

Educational Content

1. How-To Guides and DIY Tips: While most customers won’t be doing complex repairs themselves, offering them guidance on simple maintenance tasks can go a long way. For example, articles like “How to Check Your Tire Pressure in a Few Easy Steps” or “How to Safely Top Off Your Car’s Motor Oil” provide great value for DIYers.

2. Explainer Articles: Vehicles sometimes make strange noises or display warning lights that may confuse the average driver. Posts like “Why Is My Check Engine Light On?” or “What’s Causing My Brakes to Squeak?” help answer questions while letting you flex some knowledge.

3. Seasonal Maintenance Tips: Changing seasons bring different challenges for car owners, and content that covers “Essential Tips for Winterizing Your Vehicle” or “How to Prevent Your Car From Overheating in Summertime” helps you engage with customers throughout the year.

4. Maintenance Schedules: Vehicle maintenance isn’t usually top of mind for most people. But you can keep them on track with articles that explain when and why their cars need servicing, like "Your Vehicle's 30,000 Mile Service: What You Need to Know" or “Why Rotating Your Tires Every 5,000-7,500 Miles Helps Them Last Longer.”                    

Shop-Specific Content

1. “Meet the Mechanic” Profiles: People connect with people, not businesses. Introducing your team members through short bios, interviews, or videos helps customers see the faces behind your shop. And don’t just focus on personalities–talk about their experience and expertise, too, so customers feel like their vehicles are in good hands.

2. Case Studies and Successes: Real-life stories about how you tackled a particular repair or solved a tricky problem are powerful. Take advantage of these wins by highlighting, for example, “That Time We Fixed a Stubborn Transmission Issue on a 2019 Subaru WRX.”

3. Behind-the-Scenes Look at Your Shop: Don’t hesitate to pull back the curtain and show how clean, organized, and well-stocked your shop is. Posting photos and videos of a professional workspace helps reassure customers that their cars are getting five-star treatment.  

4. Customer Testimonials: Happy customers are some of your best advocates. Display positive reviews and testimonials on your website and social media to illustrate how your team goes above and beyond. Also, train your staff to ask for reviews, and make sure the process is simple and painless for customers.

Getting the Message Out

Now that you’ve created great content, the next step is getting it out to your audience. There are several ways to do that, including:

Blog Posts and Articles: Posting blog entries and helpful articles on your website does two things: It educates readers and improves your search engine rankings. Including relevant keywords in each post further increases your chances of appearing in search results when people need local repair services.    

Video Content: Short videos can be great learning tools–for example, a two-minute clip showing how to check your car’s oil levels, or explaining what different dashboard lights mean. But don’t stop there. Take viewers on a quick tour of the shop, or have satisfied customers offer brief testimonials on camera. 

Social Media: Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to share blog posts, videos, and other content. Joining local Facebook groups is another great way to build rapport and potentially drive business. Remember, the socials are all about engagement, so respond to all comments and messages promptly.

Email Marketing: An updated email list lets you stay in touch with customers by sending them eNewsletters, service reminders, and special offers. Breaking them out into different groups, like customers with high-mileage vehicles, can make your campaigns even more targeted and effective.   

Local SEO and Google My Business: Creating and maintaining a profile on Google My Business helps boost your shop’s visibility and makes it more likely to appear in local search results. Using local keywords in your content, and encouraging happy customers to leave reviews–and responding to them–can also enhance your shop’s online presence and improve SEO (search engine optimization).    

Building for the Long Haul

Effective content marketing isn’t a quick fix–it’s a long-term strategy that requires regular monitoring and fine-tuning to make sure you’re hitting the mark. Winning in the auto shop marketing game also means keeping tabs on customer preferences and focusing on content and messaging that deliver the best engagement so you can create an approach that builds strong, lasting, and rewarding relationships.

The right auto repair marketing software can simplify and strengthen your shop’s content marketing efforts. Request a demo of Shopmonkey today and see how an all-in-one platform streamlines email campaigns, customer reviews, customer satisfaction, and more.